This invention pertains to chairs and, more particularly, to aircraft seats.
Most aircraft have from one to five seats per row which are supported by appropriate leg structure. Because of the limited amount of seating space available on airplanes, aircraft seats do not usually have raisable footrests and can only recline a limited amount.
Aircraft seats must also be sturdy, comfortable, and secure, during normal aircraft operating conditions as well as under severe conditions that might impart large loads and torque on the seats and its occupants, such as during turbulence, abrupt maneuvering, rapid deceleration, air pockets, and storms or under crash or accident conditions.
Because of the above factors and applicable aircraft safety regulations, aircraft seats are functionally and structurally different in significant aspects from household reclining chairs.
Conventional aircraft seat backs usually have stationary fixed rigid metallic members spanning a tubular frame. The fixed members support the cushioning and upholstery used on seat backs which supports the seated occupant. In order to provide additional comfort to the occupant, many seat backs have been designed with hinge points near the theoretical body joint of the hip. This, however, creates problems at high density seat pitch causing the seat backs to unacceptably recline into the space occupied by the passenger seated behind the reclining seat.
In an effort to overcome the above problems, some aircraft seats have been constructed with high hinge points positioned 4 to 6 inches above the theoretical body joint of the hip. When such prior art high hinge points aircraft seats recline, however, they often tend to create extreme pressure, pain, and discomfort on the seated occupant's lumbar region of the occupant's back. Some refer to such conventional high hinge point aircraft seats as back breakers. Conventional high hinge point aircraft seats can be extremely uncomfortable, particularly on long flights overseas and coast-to-coast.
Over the years a variety of aircraft seats, chairs, and associated equipment have been suggested. Typifying some of these prior art aircraft seats, chairs, and associated equipment are those found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,098,426; 2,685,327; 3,588,172; 3,717,376; 3,938,858; 3,929,374; 4,047,758; 4,148,522; 4,157,203; 4,229,040; 4,291,916; 4,350,388; 4,354,709; 4,440,411; 4,452,485; Des. 257,707; and Des. 272,402. These prior art aircraft seats, chairs, and associated equipment have met with varying degrees of success.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide an improved aircraft seat which overcomes most, if not all, of the preceding problems.